Decades of fan creations have been erased from existence as the online features of all three mainline games have ceased to function. We now navigate a fragile digital ecosystem where the things we enjoy and create can be abruptly taken away from us, despite the fact that LittleBigPlanet’s existence was initially based on these very principles.
The first release of LittleBigPlanet in 2008 by Media Molecule introduced the “Play, Create, Share” mantra, which became the defining feature of the PS3 generation. While ground-breaking at the time, the game’s mechanics were intricate, requiring considerable time to master.
Other games that embraced the “Play, Create, Share” ethos include Modnation Racers, Echochrome 2, and Infamous 2: Festival of Blood. LittleBigPlanet provided an endless array of levels from skilled players who had mastered the game’s tools, offering an enriching experience for those who didn’t create levels themselves.
The subsequent game, developed by Sumo Digital, incorporated unique playable characters with distinct abilities, but it still provided an enjoyable experience. Despite the transition to a new developer, past levels were seamlessly transferred and updated to the new engine, allowing creative legacies to persist without interruption.
The series spawned kart racers, Vita and PSP versions, as well as other side projects that now feel diminished without the main entries that once supported them. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that Sony will revisit the series in the near future due to the lukewarm response to Dreams, despite its excellence as a game.
However, Dreams lacks the element of building individual levels, which was an integral part of the LittleBigPlanet experience. Reflecting on my time with the console during the PS3 generation, LittleBigPlanet played a significant role in my childhood and became an iconic part of Sony’s portfolio and the PlayStation brand.
However, it has now been discarded without much regard, leaving behind incomplete games and erasing decades of work. It’s disheartening to see the art, whether created by users or not, being overlooked in favor of server space and future projects.
Preserving this history should hold greater significance, embodying what PlayStation once was and what it transformed into. All that remains now are memories.
